We recently received an email from one of our subscribers about vocabulary. She mentions that one of the reasons she is unable to speak with confidence is because of her lack of vocabulary and finding words to use in her sentences.
There are many ways you can improve your vocabulary and one of them is by watching documentaries or educational content.
You can start by watching educational talks on TED.com relating to topics that you enjoy or are curious about. The great thing about TED talks is that they have English subtitles (you can turn the subtitles on in its settings). So when you come across a word that you don’t understand, jot it down and search for its meaning online.
If there are 10 words you don’t understand in one TED talk, look up the meaning for all 10. That’s 10 new words you’ve added to your vocabulary!
I would also recommend that you find an opportunity to speak English every day. Maybe you can ask your best friend to speak English with you for an hour a day to get used to speaking in daily conversations.
Vocabulary is something we continually learn when we expose ourselves to the language on a consistent basis.
I hope my tips are helpful.
Oh, one more tip for iPhone users. When you find a new word online, long tap the word to highlight it and click “Look Up”. This feature will instantly look up its meaning for you! Here’s an example.
Aisya was Googling “heavy cream” when she shared this screen capture. She clearly needs to recharge her phone, too.
